CBC Marketplace investigates puppy mills

[calzephyr]

It was broadcast last night, but you can watch it thanks to the magic of the internet. The sad thing is that one will pay more for a pet store puppy (and not just in vet bills) than if it was bought from a breeder. The woman with the pomeranian paid $2500 for him. My MIL only wants $600 for a shih tzu puppy, and they come with a real pedigree too!

Comments

[quoting-mungo.livejournal.com]

I still have trouble grasping that pet stores sell dogs and cats at all - here they only sell caged animals (and fish :P). Nor do I understand how anyone could want to buy a puppy without meeting its breeder, parents etc. Bad enough that e.g. chinchillas are sold in pet stores (some of the worst issues chinchillas can get are very much hereditary, and nocturnal animals in a noisy store is asking for trouble anyway).


-Alexandra

[calzephyr77.livejournal.com]

I know, in this day and age it seems like such an outdated concept. The Petlands here *do* sell rescue dogs and cats, but they have way more cutie pie puppies for sale. And they're never purebreds. There was one puppy there once that had five breeds listed, it was crazy!

I wish they didn't sell the big bin of budgies either. The last one I got from Petland, Baby, who died in 2004, wasn't of great quality. The pet store I got Moxie and Jill from had maybe about 15-20 budgies at a time instead of 100. There's no way a water dish can stay clean for long with that many birds :S

[quoting-mungo.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of pet stores cooperating with rescues and letting them come in with adoptable dogs/whatever 1-2 times a week much better.

That said, the clip did have me wanting a puppy again. Must... Stay... Strong... House is going to have a cat and three chinchillas already, and before getting a dog I've promised my fiancé he'll get to have a ferret again (he used to have one but had to return it to the breeder when he lost his job).

I saw the most gorgeous budgie ever in a pet store, but I've never seen one like it ANYWHERE before or since, and none of the birdie-people I know seem to be familiar with the mutation. Shame, because it was gorgeous.


-Alexandra